Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-01-29
y, seeing in the young soldier the ele-

the young stranger was bound With
the wreathes of the soldier and the
young statesman.
Retiring from the law school, the
young soldier and statesman returned
to the land of his birth and entered
upon the arduous duties of his honor
able profession. The appreciative
public of his own and neighboring
county soon called him to the Office
of Attorney General. Serving his
term, he laid down his commission
and betook himself to the walks of
private life. In prosecuting the pleas
of the State, he earned the regard and
confidence of his people and the good
will and esteem of his professional
brethren. No bitterness or opposition
sullied the fame of his official career.
No timorous Sinking of duty toward
the guilty or innocent blurs therecord
he made as prosecuting officer.
In the great crisis year of 1850 the
whilom young soldier and statesman
was called by his political friends and
associates to carry as elector of the
Breckenridge ticket the flag of De-
mocracy. 1t was the fortune of your
humble speaker to have been chosen
in that campaign to carry the rival
flag as elector for Bell and Everett in
the same Congressional district. On
forty different stumps we struggled
in debate, no doubt to the satisfaction
of our mutual friends. No warmth
or bitterness of debate ever marred
the college admiration and friendship
which had sprung up between the
youthful debaters. The flag l had
the honor then to bear for Tennessee's
illustrious son, John Bell, was by the
people of the State carried to the
front. But while Tennessee pronounc-
ed for the Union, the Constitution and
the laws, the storm cloud which had
appeared in the political heavens of
1850, and which had been soothed and
relieved of its fearful electricity by
the labors and patriotism of Henry
Clay and his illustrious compeers,
again rolled in double darkness. The
hour Of destiny had come. "Hep.
burns mingled banners" were united
to march against "the crest of old
Dunbar" The watchwords flew up.
on the wings of the wind, and it was
the North against the South. The
football of the invader was heard in
its approach toward the Southland
Then, Mr.. Chairman, the youthful
soldier who had toiled in the sands Of
Mexico for the glory and anmhood
of his beloved country, offered hi;
services to the sod of his birth. He
, rocked not of the fate which might
befall him. Themotto of himself anC
comrades was:
"Better be with the Grecian-dead, but free
In his proud charnel at Thermopyle.
Entering as Colonel, and serving
through four years ofdark and bloody
strife, the young hero came through
with the marks of his courage anC
devotion imprinted too deep 70
erasure in his manly form, wearing
upon his shoulders the stars of Ma
. jor General in bloody battle.
The storm subsidized and white
winged peace came to a distractet
country. In the ranks of restores
; order and citizenship no truer mai
and patriot could be found than h
who resumed the walks in privat
life. 1t was resolved again by his pc
y litical associates to call him to duty
4 and in 1876 he was shonored with
\ State dictatorship as the Representative
of Democratic creed and principles
Again his countrymen called him We
3 higher in 1882, to be the chief execu
: tive of his native State. Repeated il
: his term of Office for second tern
e he had the proud satisfaction, whe
u laying aside his official robes, of bt
holding his State-torn, convulse
e and distracted in her counsels whe
II he took charge at the helm-now n
Ii stored to peace, law and order, an
d smiling on every hand in the enjoy
i ment of blessings too sweet to be e1
y pressed in words. In whatever sts
u ton tried he has been found true
u all Indictments which make the man
y soldier, like the Bayard of old, sar
,, peur, sans experimentation fear an
u without reproach; statesman an
y official without the smell of impurit
5 in his acts or upon his robes; a frien
d who never betrayed trust or falte
l. ed in his faith and devotion. In pr
IL vate life he has ever been beloved an
u cherished for his generous and unse
/ fish uualitias Suph q man 7 dnSiI